There are days when our routine feels completely upside down and all we want is for the shift to end so we can head home and recharge. However, that isn’t the reality for those who lead. On days like that, the message that springs to mind is the old advice mothers give their daughters: “Keep your head up, princess, or your crown will slip!”
In times like these, keeping your head held high is a sign of self-worth and resilience. It doesn’t matter what obstacles arise, but rather how we face them head-on, without fearing any setback or bump in the road. It’s about keeping your eyes on the goal and moving forward with confidence, even if something makes us stumble.
This also made me reflect on a child’s comment that brought a sweet smile to my lips and transformed my day. While greeting a drive-thru customer at BK and handing over her meal, I noticed the little boy in the backseat, proudly sporting the signature paper crown. His attentive mother rolled down the passenger window, and the child instantly and instinctively asked me: “Are you the Queen?”
The pure authenticity and depth of that comment made me instantly adjust my posture and lead with even greater enthusiasm. What a difference a genuine, heartfelt compliment makes!
Although the boy’s question came from Burger King’s traditional King icon, the brand’s new campaign — narrated by President Tom Curtis himself — delivers a revolutionary message: Burger King has a new King, and that King is you.
That moment brought back another defining chapter in my leadership journey: when the President himself visited my store alongside Joshua Kobza, CEO of RBI.
When the visit was announced, my team’s reaction took me by surprise. Some people panic or feel overwhelmed ahead of such a major event; others, fearing the unknown, would rather not even show up that day. My team, however, showed confidence and genuine joy.
During training — whether onboarding a new leader or a new team member — I always offer this advice: “Don’t waste your energy trying to impress me or anyone else. Your only daily commitment is to impress yourself by pushing past your own limits.”
That simple mindset changes everything: it strips away the anxiety of seeking external validation and shifts the focus to self-confidence and pride in one’s work. Nobody needs to put on an act. The masks come off! Being authentic and genuine is what makes us unique.
Under pressure, it’s easy to react out of anxiety. Yet, when the top executives arrived, my team didn’t need rehearsed scripts or staged behaviors. Tom Curtis and Joshua Kobza, two of the company’s highest global executives, witnessed firsthand the genuine courtesy and discipline of a team that strives every single day to impress themselves, not others.
Instead of turning the visit into a high-stakes exam, my commitment was to keep the team grounded, welcoming Tom and Joshua with the exact same warmth, care, and respect we extend to every guest who walks through our doors. I didn’t need to wear a mask or put on a show; my job was to ensure my team worked in peace, grounded in the confidence of knowing their trade and taking pride in their routine.
King or Queen, anyone who wears the crown knows their true duty is to protect the integrity and well-being of their people. I am certain that was the lasting impression left on both international leaders. At the end of the visit, the impact didn’t come from a staged production, but from the real atmosphere. They felt the authenticity of the restaurant, the calmness of the team, and the strength of a genuine leadership style that never needs a mask for executive leadership.
When we strive to impress ourselves daily, excellence becomes a habit. Authenticity becomes the most powerful language there is — capable of touching everyone from a child with a paper crown and a young worker on their first job to the CEO of a global corporation.
So, what about you: will you keep wearing masks to impress others, or will you hold your head high, honor your crown, and lead to impress yourself?
